Educating Boys

Boys and girls have different learning needs because we nurture them differently, Mr Stewart told Adam Spencer.

"I don't think it's about being sexist. I think it's about being specialist."

"We nurture boys to be different from the very moment they come out of the womb and as a result we should be putting them into an education environment that does specialise in boys or at least offering that diversity".

Tudor House is a private school that caters for primary aged boys in the Southern Highlands.

Mr Stewart stopped short of saying boys universally performed better in a boys-only environment, but he does believe in creating an atmosphere where there is sense of adventure and a focus on the areas boys traditionally perform poorly in.

Naplan results bear this out.

"In every state at every level - 3, 5,7 and 9 - girls outperform boys in reading - but if you look at maths, it's the opposite, Boys outperform girls in maths," Mr Stewart said.

"If you are in a co-educational school I believe there is more gender bias. I've taught in those schools. We start to compare and contrast the boy with the girl because its an easy dichotomy to have."

Mr Stewart says the need to educate boys differently becomes even more pronounced in the teenage years.

"In high school more reason to engage and stimulate boys and boys need to move, they need to have chunked areas of learning

"Boys need to see there is a sense of parameter and boundary. They need to take risks - that's another whole topic.

"In a [co-ed] scenario, especially in high school you start to see a disenchantment.

"You start to see boys starting to feel they don't want to put their hand up because girls know all the answers, that teachers favours girls, so all those things self perpetuate."

In the end, getting both girls and boys engaged at school is the most important task for educators.

And fun should be on the agenda.

At Tudor house, students are encouraged build forts, climb trees and go bmx biking. In short, take risks.